At the heart of every Metal Shark pilot boat is a durable, world-beating hull design. Our Defiant-class pilothouse vessels are proven in service daily with some of the world’s toughest customers. Operators who rely on Metal Shark Defiant-class vessels include the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, the militaries of partner nations worldwide, state and local law enforcement agencies, port operators, pilot associations, and fire departments. With over 100 Defiant-class parent craft in service across North and South America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, and more entering service on a regular basis, you can rest assured that a Metal Shark pilot boat boasts a pedigreed hull that has been tested and proven time and again in the most unforgiving environments to be found.

More than just durable, Metal Shark’s Defiant-class hulls are designed to be efficient and stable, offering best-in-class performance and handling. With their ample heft and proven running surfaces, Defiant pilot boats handle heavy seas with ease, keeping their composure thanks to advanced seakeeping dynamics. With their wide beams and pronounced reverse chines, they afford ample stability while underway or during alongside maneuvers. Each Metal Shark Defiant-class model may be custom equipped with a wide range of propulsion systems to suit specific requirements.

Metal Shark leads the industry with modern designs offering the latest advancements in crew comfort, efficiency, operability, and safety. One example of Metal Shark’s innovation is our signature pillarless glass pilothouse. This design significantly enhances the view from the helm by reducing the dangerous blind spots commonly found on conventional pilothouse vessels. Pillarless glass technology, which has been proven extensively on Metal Shark’s military and law enforcement patrol boats, increases visibility and awareness. Pilots appreciate the near 360-degree view from a Metal Shark pilothouse, especially while operating during inclement weather or other periods of reduced visibility. Overhead skylights allow an unimpeded upwards view of ships during pilot transfer, wide uncluttered passageways facilitate access from bow to stern, and careful consideration is given to the design and placement of pilot boarding platforms, safety rails, grab handles and fendering systems. Metal Shark’s extensive use of shock and vibration mitigation technology reduces crew fatigue, further enhancing comfort and safety.

To assure precise tolerances and maximum performance, each Metal Shark pilot boat is 100% digitally designed using advanced 3D modeling software. Digital design affords Metal Shark the greatest flexibility in accommodating the needs of its customers. Prior to build, customers meet with the Metal Shark design team and view their boat’s every detail in 3D. All vessel particulars, from the placement of boarding platforms, safety rails, inspection plates and access hatches, to the layout of seating, instruments, and controls, can be configured to suit particular needs. Metal Shark’s designs are flexible and may be easily customized to meet the widest possible range of requirements. With its large in-house team of naval architects and marine engineers, each Metal Shark pilot boat is custom tailored for optimum operability and efficiency. Thoroughly engineered designs assure boats are produced on schedule and perform as required.

Metal Shark understands that for all pilot boats, access for maintenance and repair is of the highest concern, so each of our pilot boat offerings has been designed with maintenance in mind. Our pilot boats contain no sealed compartments to hinder maintenance. Each compartment has been designed with access points for repair and maintenance and all spaces are easily accessible. Metal Shark pilot boats are capable of being easily serviced throughout their lifespans. Reducing total ownership cost is a key focus of Metal Shark. Easy accessibility speeds maintenance and repairs, sharply lowering required man hours. All electrical and mechanical components are installed in a manner to facilitate easy maintenance and repair. Access to equipment and storage spaces are easily accomplished by crew wearing dry suits, life preservers or other protective gear. Fuel tanks and associated hoses and fittings are accessible in accordance with ABYC standards.

Metal Shark knows that pilots working Gulf Coast, Atlantic, Pacific and Caribbean ports each have specific needs. With our wide range of offerings we can capably accommodate them all. Our talented in-house team of naval architects works directly with pilots to tailor each Metal Shark pilot boat to meet the challenges and demands of its intended operating environment. Whether the job calls for straight-shaft inboards, water jets, or pods, Metal Shark can deliver an efficient and reliable solution. We work with virtually all major marine industry OEMs and offer many equipment choices. Our pilot boats are available with a wide range of fendering solutions. Boarding platforms are configured per customer spec, and all railings are pilot specific. Crew accommodations such as galleys, heads, and dinettes are all built to suit. We invite you to contact us today to begin the process of designing a Metal Shark pilot boat for your team.

• 5086 aluminum alloy hull, deck, and superstructure
• Accommodations, custom, as required
• Boarding platform: custom
• Bow thrusters, available
• Cleats, bow and stern bitt: heavy duty welded aluminum
• Cockpit, self-bailing w/ oversized scuppers
• Construction: router-cut, welded aluminum
• Electronics: custom
• Fendering: heavy duty rubrail / rub strakes or urethane-sheathed foam collar tendering system
• Finish: Mil-finish aluminum or optional paint
• Fire extinguishing systems
• Flotation, foam, below decks and in gunnels
• Fuel tank: welded aluminum, baffled
• Galley, custom, as required
• Generator(s), diesel
• Head compartment, enclosed
• Helm, with custom instrumentation
• Hull: proven Defiant-class monohull with reversed chines
• Hull structure: fully welded, 5086 aluminum alloy
• HVAC
• Lighting: LED navigation, courtesy, and low-level walkway illumination; dimmable dash lighting
• Non-skid decks and gunnels
• Propulsion: customer choice (diesel inboards, waterjets, or pods available)
• Railing: pilot-specific, custom
• Seating: customer choice (multiple styles including shock-mitigating seating available)
• Spotlight(s), high-intensity, remote
• Windows: Metal Shark’s pillarless glass in pilot arrangement, with defrosters/defoggers
• Windshield washers
• Windshield wipers, self parking